West Seattle, Washington
17 Wednesday
That Night Out party southwest of The Junction last night included a show of support for neighbors who have just been through a tough time: The victims of the house fire one week ago today near 45th/Erskine (map).
(July 29 photo by Tony Bradley)
The day the fire happened, the main headlines included firefighters following special procedures because of the historic 103-degree heat, one resident going to the hospital with burns, and investigators saying the fire was started by embers from a barbecue igniting a deck and spreading to the house. We’ve since learned there’s another story: A well-known local band, Bend, recorded at the house, and members’ friends and co-workers are organizing benefits to help. One of the fire survivors told us at last night’s block party that the items lost in the fire included some of the studio equipment and computers; his housemate who suffered burns is out of the hospital and staying with relatives on the Eastside. Meantime, benefit organizers haven’t locked down the details yet, but several tell us they’re talking about an event in the next few weeks at Feedback Lounge and possibly one at Skylark (both WSB sponsors), so organizers asked us to share the word that they’ll announce it as soon as details are settled. They’re reaching out to help in other ways too, such as a collection at Shadow Land, workplace for one band member, and donations were being collected at last night’s Night Out party — the only one to our knowledge with this distinctive type of “street closed” alert signal!
Thanks to Dina Johnson for sharing that Night Out photo from the 9000 block of 12th SW – she says some 13th SW neighbors joined in, too, and that the party had live music – piano and drums – adding:
The singer/piano player’s name is Danny (in gray tee), we’re posing in front of his house. Red-haired guy in green shirt is the drummer. Thanks for the entertainment! Samantha Updegrave (at left) is holding her 8 week old baby, Blair Johnson is to her left, I’m at lower right in African print shirt. Marie Figgins, blonde at lower left is holding her blonde son Lincoln. The older gentleman at upper right is a good dancer. In the purple tee is a UW student majoring in bioengineering.
We had two people roaming West Seattle to drop in on some of the peninsula’s 250+ Night Out block parties; our first report included photos and video primarily from the north half of the peninsula, where we published notes as the night unfolded; now, here are pix from our other stops. Like Fauntleroy, where Gary Dawson invited us to the SW Henderson celebration just east of Fauntleroy Way:
Near Gatewood Elementary, we met the neighbors of quiet Sylvan Lane (thanks to Hilary for the invite here):
Uphill in Gatewood, Engine 37 made a post-dusk visit to the 39th/Elmgrove vicinity:
Thanks to Mark Ahlness for sharing that photo. In nearby Westwood, there were games aplenty at 32nd/Thistle, like bean-bag toss:
Kelly had alerted us her block party would have “a lawn/street game triathlon (croquet, bean-bag toss, and ladder golf), chalkboard pictionary, and a potluck (serving Ube and Mexican chocolate ice cream from Full Tilt).” Enticing eats in many places on Night Out – even sushi on 26th SW in North Delridge:
Thanks to Gary for telling us about that party, which he explained was either the first-ever two-block party in that area, or the first in a long while! Side note: Night Out celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, according to this online history. If you want to get a jump on next year, and help keep your neighborhood safer all year round, one thing you can do now is make sure you have a Block Watch – here’s more info on the program.
(added more photos inline @ 9:30 pm)
(47th/Admiral-area barricades)
ORIGINAL 6:35 PM REPORT: So far, we’ve seen more barricades than people gathered in the streets beyond them – but we know, everyone’s just getting home to work. Just stopped at 44th/Hill, where neighbors are gathered in a triangle between streets, rather than closing off the road; they’re getting ready to barbecue.
It’s their first-ever Night Out party; thanks to Kim for the note. More to come – we’ve got two people roving, one north, one south.
6:48 PM: Just stopped in the Sunset/48th vicinity – they’ve got a long table, beautifully decorated, with homemade desserts planned later after their barbecue (and lights strung in the trees to enjoy when the sun goes down).
Thanks to Deborah for welcoming us there.
7:02 PM: 47th/Admiral, where Charla (at left) gave us the party tip:
They’re hoping for a candidate visit before the night’s out. We expect to see at least one ourselves – we’ve got word of where the mayor will wind up his rounds tonight.
7:20 PM: We’ve been to two stops south of Admiral, including the Hinds/45th party, where the Block Watch reins have just turned over after a quarter-century; we found Eric in charge of the hot dogs:
Then, Al‘s party near 42nd/Hinds:
Al had a luau last year (went with the theme for his 60th birthday party just before Night Out), and this year it’s a Mexican beach fiesta (we said hi just as he was preparing the fajitas), including this decorated tent-side:
7:31 PM: About to check out Howie‘s party near 32nd/Andover, over the Luna Park business district. First, just got this photo from Desiree in Gatewood:
7:44 PM: The party up here (on the other side of the Fauntleroy end of The Bridge) is the biggest one we’ve been to so far. Here’s the long shot before you finish walking up the Andover dead end:
Howie invited us, but turns out, it’s Dave’s house – and he counted 70 people! (Sorry this crowd shot’s a bit blurry.)
Meantime, the other half of the team is in Highland Park and spotted our first SPD sighting of the night – Officer Adonis Topacio, near 12th/Trenton.
And we’ve received a photo from Daniel at the big party near 31st/Othello:
Next, we’re heading to Junction-area stops, including one that reportedly has a live band!
8:10 PM: Live band indeed – and a live young musician, 9-year-old Connor, in the 4400 block of 40th SW.
We’ll add a bit of video later (here’s the video, added 10:43 pm)
Just passed Ercolini Park, where Engine 32 is visiting block-partiers.
And now we’re headed south of The Junction. Sunset’s getting close – fiery pink-red again tonight.
8:22 PM: Just checked in with Cheryl, Rosina and dozens of neighbors on 48th in the Erskine/Dawson vicinity. They were kind enough to gather for a group shot:
Ladder 11 just wrapped up its stop here as we walked up (one thing about Night Out – you can’t just pull up, hop out, shoot a photo and go – you’ve got to park near the barricade and walk to where the people are), and two parties in adjoining blocks have agreed to combine forces next year.
8:53 PM: We’re folding up the Night Out caravan. Lots more pix to add from these stops and others – tried to catch up with the mayor here in his North Admiral neighborhood and we seem to have missed him. Reminder, if you have pix from your party, we’d be happy to publish some of those too – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks! (Once we’re done filling in the pictorial blanks in this report, we’ll start on a second report from our travels on the south half of the peninsula.)
Jill sends this photo and explains, “Out walking the dog on the beach at low tide and saw this dead Manta Ray, or so I think. found south of the Arroyos during low tide. Anyone know, is this common for Puget Sound?” We know “skates” can be found in cold waters – “manta rays” tend to be tropical – any thoughts on Jill’s discovery? Here’s another photo, for scale:
One possibility we’ve come across so far: A “big skate.”
Thanks to Tony for sharing the news of a big event happening at High Point’s Commons Park right now – hundreds of people gathered for a resource fair and family fun (note the bouncy house!), to be followed at 6 pm by a community barbecue and Night Out celebration – beautiful afternoon to be out in the not-too-hot-now sunshine. (And remember the High Point Market Garden opens shortly, 4:30-7 pm at 32nd/Juneau.)
More than 250 Night Out block parties are registered for tonight in the Southwest Precinct‘s coverage area (West Seattle and South Park), according to info we just received from SWP crime-prevention coordinator Benjamin Kinlow – that’s up from 200+ on the advance list last year. Thanks to the dozens of party-throwers who’ve given us clearance to drop by – we’re mapping strategy right now to get to as many as possible, but we also welcome YOUR photos, in progress or afterward – editor@westseattleblog.com. Watch here for “live” coverage (on Twitter, too) in a few hours – and have fun – more than a few people we’ve heard from are planning live bands and/or games, above and beyond the heart of the matter: Strengthening your neighborhood by getting to know your neighbors.
Thanks to David DeSiga for sharing, via Facebook (with permission to republish here), his photos of the Blue Angels‘ departure from Boeing Field a little more than an hour ago. His angle is about the same as the one from which we watched, just south of the airport’s tower. They took off heading south, no flybys back around the city, so some have asked “Are they gone?” Yes, and here’s the proof. Click ahead for a few more pix (also, KING has just posted the video shot from its chopper, which hovered just a bit to the west):Read More
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Tomorrow afternoon, the city Landmarks Preservation Board will consider whether to designate the building now known as The Sanctuary at Admiral – officially known in its nomination as the former Sixth Church of Christ, Scientist — as a city-designated Seattle landmark.
After a presentation last month (WSB coverage here; see the presentation document here), the board agreed to consider the nomination, but there’s a high hurdle to leap (see the criteria here) to get from that point to official designation.
Board members were scheduled to make a site visit last week as part of the process, according to Sanctuary owner Dahli Bennett, who invited us to visit recently for a closer look at the building that served as a Christian Science church for almost three-quarters of a century, before its congregation merged with the one on SW Barton by Fauntleroy Park and then sold the building (Bennett bought it in 2003).
Within the past hour, the City Council’s Transportation Committee (with only its chair, Councilmember Jan Drago, in attendance) gave its blessing to transferring the “Soundway” property in the West Duwamish Greenbelt to the city Parks Department. (It’s also been approved by the city Design Commission, as we reported in June.) The site includes 32 acres, mostly south of South Seattle Community College, platted long ago into streets that were never built, envisioned as part of a road grid that was superseded by other projects including the West Seattle Bridge. If the proposal passes one more vote – the full council next Monday – it will lose its longtime status as public right-of-way, and the Parks Department will lease it to the West Seattle-based Nature Consortium, which helped procure a state grant that will go to the city as compensation for the land. NC director Nancy Whitlock was on hand for this morning’s committee briefing, explaining the “Soundway” property’s role in preserving the West Duwamish Greenbelt as the city’s biggest remaining stretch of forest. Whitlock explained the restoration work her group does in this area and other parts of the WDG: “What we’re hoping to do is set in motion the re-creation of an old growth forest.” (The Nature Consortium has frequent work parties and guided hikes in the WDG; keep an eye on its website, naturec.org, for info.)
After most (but not all! Arts in Nature, for one, is still to come) of the festivals are over, August is a time for subtler summer fun. Two “garden parties” are coming up to raise money for major local organizations:
SENIOR CENTER OF WEST SEATTLE: Carol Johnston from the Senior Center shares word of “A Sunset Patio Party” that lifelong West Seattleite Florabelle Key is hosting at her Morgan Junction apartment at 7 pm next Monday (August 10th). Carol says, “The beautiful gardens with its flower garden and candles and many patio tables and chairs will be filled while guests enjoy appetizers and assorted desserts while being serenaded by The Ukes, a ukulele group. Donation is $8 and guests may bring their own spirits. Paid reservations can be made at the Senior Center and info (is available) by calling 206-932-4044, ext. 3.”
34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS: Days before the primary-election votes are counted, West Seattle’s biggest political group will gather for its biggest fundraiser of the year, the Garden Party, 6 pm August 14 at West Seattle Nursery. Emcee this year is Gatewood’s own New York Vinnie. Lots more info here.
(iPhone photo taken during final Blue Angels flyby Sunday, north of Boeing Field control tower)
BLUE ANGELS’ DEPARTURE: Finally found some ballpark time info, for anyone else interested in seeing them leave: Len Anderson IV — aka @lead_solo on Twitter, a former Blue Angels pilot traveling with the group and providing behind-the-scenes info, came through again: He says Blues 1-7 are scheduled to leave Boeing Field around noon today; check his Twitter page for the latest. Their next stop: The California International Airshow in Salinas (near Monterey/Carmel).
NIGHT OUT: Neighborhoods all around West Seattle will close their streets and get together for block parties during tonight’s annual Night Out celebration, in the name of building bonds and fighting crime. We’ll be reporting “live” as it happens, thanks to the dozens of WSB’ers who answered our second annual call for locations we can visit. If you’re not participating – since arterials aren’t eligible for block-party shutdowns, you shouldn’t find any major traffic effects, though your favorite side-street route might be off-limits for a few hours.
HIGH POINT MARKET GARDEN: Lots of rave reviews since this once-a-week produce stand opened last month. 4:30-7 pm today, 32nd/Juneau (map), fresh and reasonably priced produce grown in the gorgeous “market garden” right by the stand.
Not everyone is taking August off. For example – consider the two troupes of ArtsWest Summer Musical Adventure Theater Campers who are getting ready to put on a show for you: Young performers 8-12 years old, staging “A Year with Frog and Toad, Kids” tomorrow through Sunday. There are two groups – “FROG Group” will perform at 7:30 Wednesday and Friday and 3 pm Saturday; “TOAD Group” puts on the show at 7:30 Thursday and Saturday and 3 pm Sunday. Read about the show on ArtsWest’s website; you can buy tickets online.
Here’s what’s up this Friday night at The Admiral:
If Gandhi met Madonna for tea and had afternoon schnapps with Led Zeppelin, THAT would be Manooghi Hi.
Seattle’s Bombay-rock band Manooghi Hi, featuring Mumbai native Mehnaz, puts forth music of “a different color.” On Friday, August 7th at 8:00 p.m. at West Seattle’s, ADMIRAL THEATER, come see the group that “brings their mix of ‘Bombay-Rock’ mixing classical, pop, and spiritualism with shades blending East and West influences which Seattle Times reviewer Jonathan Zwickel calls “a new genre of cross-pollination that’s “dizzying”.”
The group is fronted by Mehnaz who sings in several languages using her unique training and ability rhythmic style called Tabla Boli. Coupled with each band member’s range of experience, the music lends itself effortlessly to many varied tastes without boundaries. Read a recent Seattle Times article on this amazing group here.
Following the group’s performance at 9:00 p.m. the theater will screen the award-winning dramedy “Rock On.”
It’s the story of 4 boys who put together the greatest band their country had ever seen, but never quite made it. Ten years pass and fate conspires to bring them together again and set them on a journey back to where they left off… a soul-searching pilgrimage into their past. The series of live concerts took place in Pune, Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata.
The film won 8 awards and scored four nominations for Best Male newcomer Farhan Akhtar and best supporting actor, Arjun Rampal. It was also nominated for best actress, best cinematography and best film.
It’s rated PG-13. Tickets are $10.00 for the concert only, 8.00 for the
film only and a discounted $15.00 for both. Tickets are pre-sold through
Brown Paper Tickets. http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/73144 and at the door on August 7th.
West Seattle’s Mashiko is drawing regional attention and accolades for the recent revelation it’s about to focus on “sustainable sushi.” WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli had previously interviewed Mashiko proprietor Hajime Sato for this closeup look we’re sharing now:
Story, photos and video by Christopher Boffoli
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
About one in four restaurants will close or change ownership within their first year of business, according to a study cited in a 2007 issue of BusinessWeek. Over three years, that number rises to three in five. Even in the best economic times, opening a restaurant can be a risky venture.
But while the recession has taken its toll on West Seattle restaurants, cited in closures such as Ama Ama and Beato, many others continue to thrive.
This September, Mashiko will celebrate its 15th anniversary in The Junction. But ask Chef/owner Hajime Sato the secret to his success in the restaurant business, and he’s likely just to shrug his shoulders and smile. “I wish I knew the secret,” he told me recently. “Sometimes I wish I had a retail shop selling clothing. It keeps longer than sushi items.”
Watch and listen to Sato tell part of his story:
When Sato opened Mashiko in the heart of the Junction on September 1, 1994, he chose the location not as part of some artful business plan, but rather:
Two reports to share tonight – one about a break-in whose victims are “baffled,” another about people casing cars in a local alley – read on:Read More
From a Mercer Island gig last fall, that’s Swamp Soul, the Cajun/Zydeco band that’s on a double bill with Neil Young tribute band Ragged Glory at this Thursday night’s Admiral Neighborhood Association-presented Summer Concerts at Hiawatha show. Third one so far and both have drawn hundreds – it’s a big lawn, though, so plenty of room, even if you can’t get there till the last minute. 6:30 pm, east lawn of Hiawatha Community Center. Then on Friday night, Providence Mount St. Vincent starts its four-week Summer Concerts at The Mount series, and has rejoined WSB as a sponsor to promote the shows, which also are free. First up, this Friday, it’s the Duwamish Dixieland Jazz Band, seen here in a June performance:
The DDJB opened last year’s Summer Concerts at The Mount, too. Food goes on sale (as does beer/wine) at 5 pm, music at 6; special activities will be available for kids, too. Go here for the full schedule of the four-week series at The Mount, and here for the full schedule of the remaining four weeks of the six-week series at Hiawatha. (Bring your own chair/blanket for both.)
We didn’t see them on the job yet when we took that photo earlier this afternoon, but crews are expected back at Myrtle Reservoir (map) this week to resume pressure-washing to remove the leaky waterproofing “membrane” material (a problem first reported in this in-depth WSB report three weeks ago). A new update from Seattle Public Utilities says this will be done by Wednesday. The update also says the membrane removal is complete at Beacon Hill Reservoir, the other site with the leaky-waterproofing problem, and that the contractor will start “installing the new waterproofing system on the east half of the reservoir”; that work will be followed, according to SPU, by the waterproofing of Myrtle – which is much smaller than Beacon – and then the west half of Beacon. As SPU told us last month, the waterproofing they’ll use is a “hot asphalt” process. Once it’s done, it’ll be tested, then drain pipe and drain rock will be replaced, followed by topsoil and hydroseeding. SPU adds:
During the course of this work, either Myrtle or Beacon Reservoir may be taken out of service. Water service will not be impacted. Until the work is completed, the two reservoirs will remain fenced off.
The work is expected to be completed at the end of November. Myrtle Reservoir and the area over the Beacon Reservoir will be ready to be turned over to the Parks Department at that time. Construction of the Jefferson Park Expansion Project by Parks Department has already begun on the north end of the Beacon site.
As reported here July 24, the waterproofing re-do is expected to cost more than $4 million; the city has said it expects that ratepayers ultimately will not pick up the tab – though it hasn’t yet been determined who’s to blame for the leaks – and also has pointed out that the $150 million reservoir-covering program citywide is overall $15 million under budget. Meantime, the design for the future Myrtle Reservoir park can be seen here.
Thanks to Arbor Heights Elementary teacher Mark Ahlness for sharing photos from Sunday’s Camp Long memorial in honor of his fellow AH teacher Lynn Barnicle. As reported here last week, leukemia took Ms. Barnicle’s life a week earlier; she was just 50 years old. Friends, family and colleagues were invited to the park to share memories as well as music:
Mark shares:
Many spoke about her caring and loving life, filled with passion for exploring, learning, teaching, and creating. It was truly moving to see and speak with so many who were touched by her life, and every person there felt blessed to have had that experience. Her brother spoke about one of her favorite poems, which she would be very happy to know that people were reading, “The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry.
You can see Mark’s Flickr set with other photos here; some have been added to this website where she and others had written during her leukemia battle. It’s expected that a memorial will be held at the school in the fall as well, so that students can pay tribute to the beloved fifth-grade teacher.
(February 2009 WSB photo)
West Seattle has two of the city’s two-dozen-plus red-light cameras (35th/Thistle and 35th/Avalon), and Seattle Police have just issued a news release pointing out — as part of “Stop on Red Week” — that those are two of many reasons why NOT to run a red light – read on:Read More
Thinking of a garage/yard sale, but no room at your house, not sure you want to advertise your address, etc.? Here’s an option: Jolene Williams sends word that the 1st annual Duwamish Community Garage Sale is set for Saturday, August 15th, and you’re invited to come “sell your stuff and make some extra money!” Spaces are free, first come/first serve; 10 percent of sales will go to the Duwamish Tribe Legal Fund (they’re fighting for federal recognition in Congress and in court). On sale day, tribal chair Cecile Hansen‘s famous fry bread will be available, as will the tribe’s legendary salmon lunch. 9 am-6 pm August 15th, Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center in West Seattle (4705 West Marginal Way SW; map); questions? Call 206-431-1582.
We mentioned this briefly as a side note in yesterday’s West Seattle Farmers’ Market update, after WSB’er John reported what he’d found out – but now we have confirmation directly from Skillet Street Food‘s Josh Henderson that West Seattle is off their schedule “for the foreseeable future”:
We are pretty swamped with private events, and Aug and Sept are just crazy…so we are leaving Sundays open for the foreseeable future…could change..but for now that is what we have to do… but thanks so much for checking in, we love the West Seattle folks and hopefully they can track us down in other parts of the city.
Elsewhere on the street-food beat, Marination Mobile is in its second month of Saturday 11 am-2 pm visits to High Point (35th/Graham; map). P.S. Since food is perennially one of the hottest topics in the WSB Forums, it now has its own section – West Seattle Food. It’ll take a while to recategorize all the archived discussions that belong there (previously they were part of Open Discussion) but from hereon out, if that’s what you want to talk about – and reviews are welcome as long as they are labeled as such – go here. (And to find archived coverage of West Seattle restaurants on WSB – go here.)
Two more notes from the city permit files this morning: The land-use permit has just been issued for the project shown above, 4502 42nd SW (corner of SW Oregon; map), which is planned as a 7-story building with 89 residential units over 20,000+ square feet of ground-level retail and office space, with parking for 121 vehicles. Four houses on the site will be demolished when construction begins; next steps include building and demolition permits. Meantime, the city has just published approvals for “shoreline substantial development” and administrative Design Review for the 2-years-in-the-works 2-story proposal (two residential units over retail) at the old Pegasus Pizza site (2758 Alki); the official decision notice explains how to appeal.
Thanks to John at Mary North Travel for the tip that demolition work is under way at one of their neighboring businesses in The Triangle, Lien Animal Clinic (3710 SW Alaska; map). Their old building is coming down, just one week after they opened their new 2-story building on the north side of the site. And as is sometimes the case with demolition sites, firefighters are doing some training on the section of the old building that isn’t down yet:
Once demolition is done, the area where the old building stood will become parking for the bigger new one. By the way, if you wonder what’s up with the nearby site where Harbor Properties plans to build Link – there’s been some partial site clearing as West Seattle Montessori School (WSB sponsor) moves to its new location, but Harbor tells us its work on Link isn’t scheduled to start till later in the year.
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